Around the time the Vatican announced the death of Pope Francis on Monday, dozens of Muslims were taking part in an unusual ceremony in a church in Kosovo. They were converting to Catholicism. The news agency “France Media Agency” on Tuesday, April 22.
The ceremony was attended by those who, according to the article, are also called "hidden Catholics" or "Laramans", who "were choosing to openly return to the faith of their ancestors, converted centuries ago under Ottoman rule."
"I baptize you in the name of the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit. Amen," priest Father Fran Kolaj called out at the ceremony in which he welcomed 38 young Catholics, ranging in age from 7 to 55. "Welcome to the Church."
The article published on Tuesday also provides data from the latest population census in Kosovo. Of the over 1.6 million inhabitants, 93.5 percent in Kosovo declared themselves Muslims, while less than two percent declared themselves Catholic.
Although there is no official data, according to Kolaj, more than 3000 citizens have converted to Catholicism at his "St. Abraham" Church in Llapushnik/Llapushnik since Kosovo's independence in 2008. "They join the Church of their own free will. It is 100 percent their choice," the priest said.
On Monday, the church was reportedly filled to capacity with about 500 people when news of the Pope's death broke. But the decision was made to go ahead with the baptism ceremony. "The Pope would have done the same," one person was quoted as saying.
The article also states that the conversions have not prompted reactions from the Muslim community in Kosovo, "a state that prides itself on religious tolerance and where ethnicity takes precedence over faith."
